Irrigation pump



Sept. 2, '1 941.

H. A. E. JOHNSEN IRRIGATION PUMP Filed Sept. .9, .1940

Qvwmm fi'a iger Jk/wen Patented Sept. 2, 1941 Fla assignor of one-halfLauderdale, Fla.

toJ. B. Fraser, Fort Application September 9, 1940, Serial No. 356,056

"4 Claims. (onus-s) The present invention relates generally to a pumpingmechanism, and more particularly to an irrigation and drainage pump. a

An object of the invention is the provision of an irrigation pump havingreversible pumping mechanism whereby the device may be used to pumpwater either from an irrigationcanal to afield to be irrigated, or froma'flooded field to a canal, depending upon the condition of the fieldsadjacent the pump. e 3

Another object is to provide a reversible pump of this character havingan inlet port-located at a higher level than the outlet port, incombination with a drive shaft extending longitudinally of the pumpcasing and having at its lower end a propeller positioned between theinlet and outlet ports. The upper portion of the shaft is journaled inthrust bearings. With such a construction, liquid forced downwardly fromthe upper inlet port to the lower outlet port will cause a reactionupwardly against the propeller and efiect. an upward thrust on theshaft, thus compensating for the weight of .the shafton the upper thrustbearings.

A further object is the provision of a simple and efiective bearing forthe lower end of the reversible pump casing in the pump housing. Thisbearing consists of .a raised section at the lower end of the pumphousing, the top portion of which is flat for receiving the lower end ofthe reversible mechanism.

Another object is to provide the pump housing with a fin or sealing wallextending around the bottom and opposite walls of the housing andlocated between the inlet and outlet ports of the pump. This fin ispreferably extended beyond the limits of the usual sump within which thepump is positioned, so as to form a sealto prevent return of the waterfrom the outlet to the inlet side of the pump.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention will now bemore particularly described, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, in which the figure is a section taken longitudinally of thepump.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral l designates generally anirrigation pump constituting the subject matter of the presentinvention. This pump, while capable'of' varied use, is primarilydesigned as an irrigation pump for use land where it is desired topump'water or' other liquid from an irrigation canal to one or'morefields whichare to be'rirrigated. In actual-use, the pump is designed tobe positioned within a sump which is locatedbetween the field beingirrigated and the canal or other supply of water usually located at a.lower level than the Y field. The bottom of the sump and the lower endof the pump should always be below the water level of the canal.

The pump It) comprises an outer housing ll of substantially cylindricalformation. This housing may be formed 'of any desired number of parts orsections. The lower end of this housing is provided'with a pair ofaligned outlet ports I2 .and' I3, each port being associatedwith aflangedcollar l4. Thehousing H, is-also provided, at apointabovethe.outlet ports l2 and I3, with a pair of aligned inlet ports {5 and I6extendingin the same direction as the ports l2 and I3.

Within the housingisfrotatably mounted a pump casing l1. This casingcomprisesa lower valve section [8 and an upper shaft supporting sectionIS. The lower portion I8 is of greater diameter thanthe section 19 and,asshown in the drawing, has a. relatively close fit with the inner wallsof the housing II. The extreme lowerend'20 of the section 18 rests upona fiat central bearing portion 2| of a raised'element 22 supporteduponthe bottom wall 23 of the housing I I. The element 22is providedwith oppiositely'inclined walls 24 and 25 which connect with; thejflatbearing portion 2!. The whole element 22 constitutes a ridge orpartition which cooperates .withthe lower end of the casing section l8tojdivert thefiow of fluid through either of the outletpports J'Z or l3,as will be described in detail hereinafter. I As will beobserved, thelower end 20 of the section I8 I extends over substantially one-half of,thearea of the bottom ofthe housing II. This end portion 20 is ofsuificient area, however, to extend over andrest uponthe'fiat bearingportion-2|, "as clearly shownllin the drawing.

The lower side Wall of the section l8 iscut'away to provide a port 26which adapted to com municate with either of the outlet ports l2 and I3.It'will be observed that the c'urved sidewalls of the port'2'ficonnect-at their lower ends with the inward extension-of-the'lower endsection 20.

itQc'onne'ctS with the cylindrical wall offlthelower Since the flow oiwater will be downwardly through the port 26, there is provided aninclined deflecting plate Zlwhich extends from the inner end 1 of theportion ,20 upwardly to a point where section r I 8.;i-This lowersection ,l8 also .has formed therein an inlet port 28located aboivetheoutletport 26,-andadapted to register with a flange 32 which restsupon and is rotatable. relative to a flange 33 of the top of the pump"Itis to be understood that 6116 6181. 1

housing I l.

wardly from the base.

the drawing, extends across the bottom of the ments IS, 23, 3!) and 3|are all fixed to each other so that these elements may be rotated as aunit within the housing II when it'is 'desired to reverse the pump, aswill be hereinafter described. l

Extending longitudinally of and journaled in the pump casing is a driveshaft 34. This'shaft is journaled in thrust bearings 35 mounted in theupper portion of the shaft housing 30. The lower portionof the shaft isjournaled in suitable bearings 36 carried by the. plate 29. In

fformation in cross section, comprising a base 41'which is rigidlyconnected to the pump housing l l and the spaced walls 48 extending out-This fin, as shown in housing H, and upwardly upon opposite sides ofthe:housing to apoint at least above the high order to insure against theleakage of fluid from ."1

either above or below the bearing 36,1 provide a rubber bearing 31supportedby the plate 29.:

Upon the extreme lower end of the shaft 34 is mounted a propeller 38.Itwill be observed that this propeller is confined within a portion ofthe lower section l8 between the ports and 28. That is, the propeller ismounted below the port 28 and above the port 26. The-upper end of theshaft may be connected to any suitable power means for effectivelydriving the shaft and propeller. In the present instance, there is dis-.1;

closed a sprocket wheel 39, fixed to the upper end of theshaft, and asprocket chain 40.

Flap valves 4| and 42 are provided to close the ports l2 and I3,respectively. Each valve is pivotally connected to a supporting arm 43,the upper end of which is pivotally connected to a bracket 44 fixed tothe outer wall of the hous ing ll. Normally, each valve will beclosed bygravity but is free to swing outwardlyby reason of the flow of waterpassing through its: respective outlet port.-

In use of the device, and assuming that'it is desired to-pump water froman irrigation canal to a field to be irrigated, the several ports arelocat'ed'in the position shown in the drawing. The propeller is alwaysrotated in a-direction-to induce *a downward current of wateror otherfluid. Thus, the flow of water'will be through the inlet-ports l6 and 28which are in register, down through the interior of the lower .se'ction18 of the *pumpcasing, 'andthen outwardly through the aligned ports 26and f2. Theforce of'the water passing through the port l2 will waterline'of'the sump. The fin is positioned betweenthe' inlet and outletports and preferably extends beyond the walls or limitations of the sumpwithin which the pump is located, thereby providing an effective sealbetween the inlet and outlet sides of the pump. and insuring againstreturn .of the waterfrom the outlet to the inlet side of the pump.

- While I have shown and described a pump construction in which there isonly one reversible inlet and outlet, it is to be understood that, ifdesired, a plurality of inlet and outlet ports may be provided'toradiateat different angles. With this arrangement, andby use .of suitable.piping, a single pump may be utilized forzconnectingone of a--plu'ralityof irri'gationcanals with one of a plurality of fields. I T

It is to be further understood that the construction shown and describedis merely illustrative of-a preferred embodimentand that such changesmaybe made as fallwithinthe purview of one skilled in the art, withoutdeparting from the spirit'of the invention and the scope of the appendedclaims.

1. In an irrigation pump, a housing of substantially-cylindricalformation havinga pair of oppositely disposed outlet ports adjacentitsilower end, said housing having a pair of opposed inlet ports locatedabove said outlet ports; a substantially cylindrical pump casingrotatably mounted in said housing, with itsilower portion'havinga closefit with the walls of the housing,.said pump casing having a loweroutlet port registrable with either of said housing outlet ports, theportion of said pump casing opposite its outlet port being imperforateand closing one outlet port. of the housing 'when the other housingoutlet port is in register with the'outlet port of the pump casing,

" 'said-pump'casing having an upper inlet portrege raise the flap valve4|, so that the flow of the water will be unrestricted from theirrigation canal to the field to be irrigated. i r

If the conditions should be such that a field has been flooded to suchan extent where the crop-s would become damaged if the water is notdrawn 011' from the field, this contingencymay be taken care of byreversing the pump mechanism in the 'housing- II. For this purpose, -ahandle 45 is provided, the inner end of which is rigidly connected tothe top plate 3| of thepump casing. By moving the. handle 45, the pumpcasing may be rotated within the housing H so that the inlet port 28will registerwithfthe-inlet port- I5 and the outlet port ZG registerwith tlie outlet port I3.- Thereafter,- upon operation of the propeller,the flow of fluid will be reversed,

istrable with either-of said housing inlet ,ports, the portionof saidpump casing oppositeits inlet port being imperforate and closing'oneinlet port of the housing when the other housinginlet port is inregister with the inletportof thefipump casing, a driveshaftjournaled inand longitudinallyof the piunp casing, a driven flow producing meansmounted on saidv shaft between] the inlet and outletportaand meansassociated with the pump casing for rotating said casing'to reverse-theposition of the casing inlet and outlet ports and" thereby reverse theflow through the ufn :.il .4 I 2; Inan irrigation pump, a housing ofsubstan tially'cylindrical i formation having a pair of op: posite'lyidisposed outlet ports adjacent its. lower end, sai'dLhousingE having apair of opposed inlet portsilocated'iabove: said outlet ports, asubstantiallyl cylindrica-l gpumpscasing rotatably mounted insaid-'housingiwith its lower portion having .a'

casing having a lower outlet port registrable with either of saidhousing outlet ports, the portion of said pump casing opposite itsoutlet port being imperforate and closing one outlet port of the housingwhen the other housing outlet port is in register with the outlet portof the pump casing, said pump casing having an upper inlet portregistrable with either of said housing inlet ports, the portion of saidpump casing opposite its inlet port being imperforate and closing oneinlet port of the housing when the other housing inlet port is inregister with the inlet port of the pump casing, a drive shaft journaledin and longitudinally of the pump casing, the bearing means for saidshaft including thrust bearings carried by said pump casing adjacent thetop of said casing, a propeller mounted on the lower end of said shaftbetween the inlet and outlet ports, and means carried at the upper endof said pump casing above the thrust bearings for rotating said casingto reverse the position of the casing inlet and outlet ports and therebyreverse the flow through the pump.

3. In an irrigation pump, a housing of substantially cylindricalformation having a pair of oppositely disposed outlet ports adjacent itslower end, said housing having a pair of opposed inlet ports locatedabove said outlet ports, the lower end of said housing having a raisedpartition extending across the interior thereof, the top of said raisedportion being flat and constituting a lower bearing surface, asubstantially cylindrical pump casing rotatably mounted in said housing,with its lower portion having a close fit with the walls of the housingand its lower end supported upon the fiat top of the raised portion ofthe housing, said pump casing having a lower outlet port registrablewith either of said housing outlet ports, the portion of said pumpcasing opposite its outletport being imperforate and. closing one outletport of the housing when the other housing outlet port is in registerwith the outlet port of the pump casing, said pump casing having anupper inlet port registrable with either of said housing inlet ports,the portion of said pump casing opposite its inlet port beingimperforate and closing one inlet port of the housing when the otherhousing inlet port is in register with the inlet port of the pumpcasing, a drive shaft journaled in and longitudinally of the pumpcasing, a driven flow producing means mounted on said shaft between theinlet and outlet ports, and means carried by said pump casing forrotating said casing to reverse the position of the casing inlet andoutlet ports and thereby reverse the flow through the pump.

4. In an irrigation pump, a housing of substantially cylindricalformation having a plurality of outlet ports, said housing having aplurality of inlet ports located above said outlet ports, a pump casingrotatably mounted in said housing, said pump casing having a loweroutlet port registrable with each of said housing outlet ports, theportion of said pump casing in the same horizontal area as its outletport being imperforate so that flow could only occur to one outlet portof said housing in any flow position of the casing, said pump casinghaving an upper inlet port registrable with each of said housing inletports, the portion of said pump casing in the same horizontal area asits inlet port being imperforate so that How could only occur to oneinlet port of said housing in any flow position of the casing, a driveshaft journaled in the pump casing, a driven flow producing meansmounted on said shaft between the inlet and outlet ports, and meansassociated with the pump casing for rotating said casing to change thepositions of the casing inlet and outlet ports and thereby change thedirection of flowthrough the pump.

HOLGER ADOLF EDVARD J OHNSEN.

